


But The Elephants

by Quiet_Shadow



Series: Summer Days Prompts [4]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Awkward Crush, Gen, Harm to Animals, M/M, Minor Character Death, Moral Dilemmas, Poachers getting retribution, off-screen violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 06:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15165083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quiet_Shadow/pseuds/Quiet_Shadow
Summary: A captive Hound has an hard choice to make. Well, perhaps not so hard after all -- and it's not like anyone back on the Ark will know, right?





	But The Elephants

**Author's Note:**

> Because I like the mention in IDW Soundwave likes elephants -- or that they're at least his favorite Earth creatures.

The screams of horror and pain almost made Hound flinch. Almost. The laughs that accompanied those screams as Decepticons rejoined in the carnage they were causing didn’t help. The green mech fidgeted uneasily despite his bound hands and knees, biting his lips as he faced what humans referred to as a conundrum, according to Spike.  
Humans, he thought sadly. Humans were the problem.

Optimus hadn’t made it an order exactly, but it was the common consensus that Autobots were supposed to protect humans from any perceived threat, the Decepticons chief among them. Hound had no problem with that… usually. Until now, he had always done his duty with the utmost care and dedication, making dear friends among the organic species such as Spike and Sparkplug and Chip and Raoul when he accepted to leave Tracks side (which was almost never, but never mind). He would gladly lay his very Spark on the line if it meant he could keep them safe.

But Spike and their other humans friends were nice, the good kind of humans.

Those men… weren’t exactly what Hound would call the good kind.

Perhaps they had excuses for what they did. Perhaps they had families and loved ones too. They probably didn’t deserve being killed off like that. Normally, Hound should have found himself fighting against his bonds, done something anything to try and rescue them.

But the sound of the weak trumpeting of the injured baby elephant that Soundwave was gently petting while his Cassettes made short work of the poachers, the sight of the bloody remains of what had recently been a happy female elephant trying to protect her baby and the tracker found his resolve crumbling.

He lowered his head. Slag it all. In a way, it was almost a relief to have been captured; he still wasn’t happy Soundwave and his brood had gotten the drop on him earlier today and about being prisoner, but suddenly it didn’t seem nearly as bad or important as it should have been. Oh, there was still a lingering worry in the back of processor about what was going to happen to him, why did Soundwave take him, did his call for help get through the jamming of the Communication Officer, where in the Pit the Cassettes Carrier was carrying him to, would the other Autobots be able to find him in time before Soundwave offlined him or whatever reinforcements he had called came to pick him up… But right now, though? Right now all that mattered to Hound was the elephants.

Spike had told him about poachers and the black market ivory trade, but to see it…

It filled Hound with equal horror, sadness and rage. Who could do that to an innocent creature? Well, Decepticons could. But Soundwave hadn’t touched the elephants; if anything, he seemed more upset than Hound himself, which was weird because Soundwave didn’t have a reputation for sentimentalism. Cold, efficient, Sparkless, a drone hidden in a mech’s armor,… the rumors did abound about Megatron’s Third in Command. They said he cared for no one and nothing, expect perhaps the Cause and Megatron.

(Though from the confidences of Mirage to which Hound was privy thank to their friendship based on an appreciation of Cybertronian wildlife and whose regular infiltration missions had made him observe a few things behind closed doors, it wasn’t quite true. Soundwave obviously cared for his Cassettes, even if he tried not to show it in public.)

Would a drone have tried to comfort an injured organic calf? Hound didn’t think so. And neither would he have sic his Cassettes on the humans like he did… or perhaps he would have anyway, Hound amended in his head. Soundwave didn’t usually go out of his way to murder them, but he had no love for humans and his Cassettes always found delight in causing destruction and mayhem.

For once, Hound didn’t think he should complain.

He eyes Soundwave’s hands and the soft pets he provided to the injured calf. It was hard to judge with his mask, but he seemed sad and even… grieving. Then the calf made a mournful sound.

That did it.

“Excuse me?” he called out. Soundwave’s visor turned in his direction as well as several pairs of tiny red optics.

“What do you want, Autodork?”

Hound tried not to sigh. Well, he hadn’t expected Frenzy (or was it Rumble? He wasn’t sure anymore; the blow he had taken to the head during his capture had messed up his color-sorting program to be polite. “I just wanted to signal you that you have missed one,” he said as politely as possible, earning long, incredulous stares for his words.

“… what?”

“Poacher,” Hound supplied helpfully. “You missed one. He slipped out toward the cover of the trees. Mustn’t be far.” There, he had said it. It was horrible, because if they believed him, he would have condemned one more human to death but… the elephants!

“You honestly think we’re going to believe…?”

“Ravage: pursue,” Soundwave said simply after giving Hound a curt nod. The feline-looking Cassette hissed but obeyed, disappearing from view in an instant.

“Boss! You aren’t going to believe him?!”

“Ratbat: confirming data. Thermic signature of human: found.”

“Well, frag me sideway,” the Cassette mumbled, looking at Hound again with something akin to puzzled respect. “Feeling bloodthirsty, Autobot? I didn’t know you lot had it in you.”

“The elephants,” Hound just said, as if it explained everything. And perhaps it did, because the Cassettes all shrugged.

“Oh, well. If you like them as much as the Boss, can’t fault you. Guess at least one of your lot must have some taste after all.”

“Frenzy: be silent.” Soundwave droned out. “Autobot Hound: plan?”

“No plan,” the green mech admitted. “I just… how is he?” he asked, looking at the baby elephant worriedly.

“… vitals: stable,” Soundwave conceded, sounding like he was hesitating. Oh, honestly! Hound wasn’t asking about Decepticon secrets and he couldn’t care less about Soundwave’s reputation. It must have show on his face because the Cassette Carrier continued. “But distressed. Injured. Afraid. Autobot Hound: known to have first aid training pertaining Cybertronian fauna. Earth mammals, not the same. But Autobot Hound: willing to have a look and help?”

“Boss! With the trouble we had capturing him?!”

“Oh, shut up,” Hound groused. “He didn’t offer to release me, just asked me if I wanted to help an injured animal and my answer is: yes. Yes I will.”

He had a duty toward humans, Hound tried to remind himself as Soundwave freed at least his hands. But the green mech also like to think he had a duty toward other Earth creatures as well and sometimes, well, sometimes those other creatures won. Besides, he reminded himself, it wasn’t as if anyone ever had to know he had aimed a loaded Decepticon in a poacher direction. He wasn’t going to talk and he doubted Soundwave would either. It was an alliance of convenience for the sake of an animal they both obviously liked.

So long Hound didn’t start thinking Soundwave looked hot while dealing raging, well-earned retribution on those who hunted endangered and endearing species, he should be fine.

(Though it was probably too late for that, a part of his CPU pointed out.)

Hopefully.


End file.
